Arsh Khaira
חֹשֶׁךְ - HOSHEKH - Fade Away / Silently Pray
Directed by Alizain Mevawala
Globe N' Us Productions - Alishan Mevawala
HOSHEKH:
Blair Brown - Drums
James Davies - Bass
Arsh Khaira - Guitar / Vocals
Original bandmates Blair Brown and Arsh Khaira who formed and played in Broken Angel from 1997-2003 come together again after 20 years to rekindle their musical friendship. Joining them is the respected veteran of the Edmonton Music Scene, one of the founding members of Hoshekh (2008), and old friend - James Davies - (Of Angels, Randy Graves, Puppet).
The friendship of Blair and Arsh traces back to when the two of them met in Junior High, forming their first band Broken Angel. James and Arsh met in 2003, after a show for James' band Puppet, which led to Arsh joining the band as a bass player. James and Arsh later formed Hoshekh in 2008.
www.hoshekh.com
Hoshekh, is a Hebrew word that represents the most powerful form of darkness that exists in the universe. This is not only a literal, or a physical darkness, but a spiritual darkness as described in the Book of Exodus.
Hoshekh is the 'minimalist-grunge' music of Blair Brown, James Davies and Arsh Khaira. The music of Hoshekh is recorded with as much analog equipment as possible and minimal processing through the DAW. On this track, there is a single guitar, single bass, drums and a single vocal. Each instrument was recorded in one take with no "punch-ins" or "overdubs." The intro features a 1960 Eminence Organ made in Holland as well as a Mooger Fooger Ring Modulator. Guitar and bass amps are all vintage reissues and the Drum Kit is a 1980's Pearl. Microphones used on this recording include AKG C414, Seinheiser 421, SM 57, SM 58 and others. The distorted guitar sound is a RAT into a Big Muff, with MXR Phase 90 on the solo. The bass is run through an Ampeg SVT 300 and 8x10 cab. The track was mixed on an analog mixer.
The primary focus is to create raw grunge-rock music with an independent punk sensibility. The DIY attitude is very important. That being said, pedals, amplifiers, mics, mixers, etc. are all “punk-certified,” rather than some of the gear found in more “pretentious and extremely expensive” studios.
BLAIR: “It’s been wonderful to reconnect with old friends after this much time apart. Our lives may have taken us in all kinds of directions but music will always be there to keep us together in spirit. It was like we hadn’t missed a day playing together again after all this time.”
JAMES: “As a young kid I started off playing shows in the battle of the bands scene then later finding my own scene. Edmonton has always been a supportive musical community full of great musicians. Scenes have always been a bit clicky, you play shows with the same bands of your genre and it can seem like that’s the Edmonton music scene but when you broaden your genre interests you find out that every genre has its own scene. I’ve managed to flow through most of the scenes in Edmonton and the one thing they all have in common is a real sense of camaraderie.
Now that I’m older in a totally different scene - the wedding cover band circuit, I am out of touch with the current scene. It’s seemed either I got too old or there aren’t a lot of bands playing shows. This could be due to the venue crisis since Covid 19.
We lost a lot of great venues and while there are still shows being put on we’ve lost the venues that created these tight musical communities ”
ARSH: "The purpose of this music is to function as a creative outlet to channel emotions, frustrations, pain and feelings through a style that resonates most closely with my soul. These songs are not written and recorded because I hope or think people will like them, they are made because they need to be made, because these thoughts and feelings need to get out of me and into the atmosphere. The connection I share with Blair and James is conducive to this. They get me. They know what I’m trying to pull out of myself. If others can relate to these feelings, and connect to the music in any way, however lightly, or perhaps deeply and profound, then this contributes to my own sense of contentment, maybe it makes me feel like I am understood in a real and human way."
Hoshekh draws inspiration from punk and grunge music of the late 80’s and early 90’s. Particularly those recordings that are less flashy, less commercial, less expensive - and subsequently less known.
And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Stretch out thy hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness (HOSHEKH) over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.'
